The invention relates to a method for operating a device for conveying objects from a supply station to a delivery station, wherein a conveyor is used by means of which trays containing loose objects can be moved, wherein said conveyor includes at least one carrier for receiving said trays, which carrier can be moved in an intended direction of movement with the aid of driving means and which can be selectively pivoted about a pivot axis at at least one desired location.
A method of this kind can be derived from U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,790.
According to this prior art method a tray is placed on a carrier, always in the same position, and the object is removed from the carrier, either by itself or together with the tray, by pivoting the carrier about the pivot axis that extends in the direction of movement of the carrier.
In particular when removing a tray containing an object there is a considerable risk that the object will slide off the tray when the carrier is being pivoted and land beside the tray.
According to the invention either the object is removed from the tray by pivoting the carrier about the respective pivot axis, whereby the object slides off the tray in a first direction, or the tray and the object are jointly removed from the carrier by moving the tray containing the object in a second direction, which includes an angle with said first direction.
When this method is used, effective use is made of the fact that a tray is usually provided at two opposite ends thereof with end walls or the like stop means extending above the bottom of the tray, which prevent an object from sliding off the tray when the tray containing the object is removed from the carrier in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the ends of the tray provided with upright end walls or the like stop means.
The invention furthermore relates to a device for conveying products from a supply station to a delivery station, which device includes a conveyor by means of which trays containing objects can be moved, wherein said conveyor includes at least one carrier for receiving trays containing loose objects, which carrier can be moved in an intended direction of movement by driving means and which can be selectively pivoted about a pivot axis at at least one desired location, whilst the device furthermore includes a supply conveyor, which is fitted with means for turning the tray about an imaginary upwardly extending pivot.
According to the invention the supply conveyor is constructed in such a manner that the tray can be selectively supplied to the carrier in one of two positions turned through an angle of 9xc2x0 with respect to each other.
By using such a device it is possible in a simple manner to place the tray on the carrier in a first position thereof, which position is especially suitable for removing the object from the tray upon pivoting of the carrier about the pivot axis, whilst another position of the carrier is especially suitable for removing the tray from the carrier together with the object by pivoting the carrier about the pivot axis.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a conveyor by means of which products, such as trays, on which objects may or may not be present, and/or loose objects can be moved, wherein said conveyor includes at least one carrier for receiving products, which is bounded by two opposed sides and two ends, which carrier can be moved in an intended direction of movement by driving means and which can be selectively pivoted at at least one desired location about a pivot axis that extends at least substantially in said direction of movement and substantially parallel to the sides of the carrier.
When a conveyor of this kind is used, the product present on a carrier will slide off the carrier over one of the sides thereof upon pivoting of the carrier.
According to the invention the carrier can be adjusted to a position in which one end of the carrier is positioned higher than the other end.
By using this construction a product that is present on the carrier can also slide off the carrier via one end thereof. This is in particular efficient when the device is used for moving trays containing objects, wherein either the object is to be removed from the tray whilst the tray remains present on the carrier, or wherein the tray is to be removed from the carrier together with the object.